To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to require public institutions of higher education that receive grants under the Medical Student Education program to include training for medical students relating to menopause in the curriculums of such institutions, and for other purposes.
Introduced June 11, 2026 · Last action June 11, 2026
Plain English Summary
This bill requires public colleges and universities that receive federal grants for medical education to teach their medical students about menopause as part of their curriculum. The bill directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to enforce this requirement for institutions participating in the Medical Student Education grant program.
Who benefits
Medical students at public institutions who will receive standardized menopause training; women's health advocates and patient groups seeking improved clinical training on menopause; academic medical centers and their faculty (who may receive additional grant funding or recognition for implementing robust menopause curricula); female patients who will be treated by physicians with mandatory menopause training.
Who pays / loses
Public institutions of higher education participating in the Medical Student Education grant program will bear administrative and curriculum development costs to implement menopause training; medical school faculty will incur costs to develop and deliver the new training content; institutions may experience reduced grant funding or compliance penalties if they fail to implement the requirement.
Funding & Lobbying Interests
Women's health organizations, medical education advocates, and menopause-focused nonprofits lobby for improved menopause training in medical schools. The sponsor (Rep. Valerie P. Foushee, D-NC-4) received $201,577 from 'Other' sources in the 2024 cycle, with no significant PAC contributions, suggesting grassroots or individual donor backing rather than corporate lobbying money. Healthcare professional associations and academic medical centers may support the bill as it aligns with clinical education standards.
Political Impact
Affected Groups
Medical students at approximately 150+ public medical schools receiving federal Medical Student Education grants; approximately 20,000+ medical students annually who will receive menopause training; women aged 40-65 (the primary menopause population, roughly 40 million U.S. women) who will encounter physicians trained under this requirement; female physicians and obstetrician-gynecologists whose specialty is most directly affected by the curriculum mandate.
Political Subtext
Proponents frame this as addressing a documented gap in medical education—studies show menopause receives minimal curriculum time despite affecting millions of women and being frequently misdiagnosed. The bill positions menopause as a legitimate medical education priority equivalent to other systemic conditions. Critics could argue the bill represents federal overreach into medical school curriculum design or that it prioritizes menopause over other underrepresented topics in medical education (e.g., racial health disparities, rural medicine). Non-partisan medical education research from organizations like the AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) has documented that menopause receives inadequate training, supporting the legislative rationale.
Real-World Stakes
If passed, every public medical school receiving federal grants must integrate menopause education, standardizing training that is currently sparse and inconsistent. Similar curriculum mandates (e.g., LGBTQ health training requirements in various state medical schools, cultural competency requirements) have succeeded in improving physician knowledge without major institutional resistance. Medical schools will incur modest curriculum development costs, likely offset or absorbed as part of existing grants. Patients will benefit from physicians better trained to recognize, diagnose, and treat menopause-related conditions, potentially reducing misdiagnosis, unnecessary procedures, and delayed treatment. No significant economic loss is anticipated for any stakeholder group.
Sponsor
Vote Record
No recorded votes.
Campaign Finance — Primary Sponsor
Top contributing industries
Other$201,577.22
Law$5,900
Finance$2,252.94
Energy$1,850
Construction$750
501(c)(4) disclosure: Contributions from 501(c)(4) "dark money" organizations are not required to be publicly disclosed and are not reflected in the figures above. Data sourced from FEC public disclosure filings.
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